Tag Archive | "Kaepernick"

Championship weekend is upon us and for the first time since 2011, and only third time since 2008, the Baltimore Ravens are not involved. That sounds pretty good to say actually. To be in it three times in five years would have been kind of bitter had Josh Bynes not tackled Tedd Ginn around midfield to end the 49ers comeback last February and give the Ravens their second Lombardi Trophy.

It certainly would have been nice to watch them participate again in the playoffs this season, but let’s face it, it frays nerves, causes gray hair and (in may case) makes it fall out. Let some of these other cities get their hopes dashed, dreams crushed and see parade plans canceled.

Think about the playoffs already. Cincinnati, for all the good mojo they created during the regular season, lost at home…again…in the first round. Nice job Bengals. Do us all a favor and go back to your holes. Please don’t win the division again. It embarrasses the AFC North.

How about the Chiefs? After two straight losing seasons, they were back in the playoffs (last losing at home to Baltimore in January ’11) and feeling spry after finishing 11-5. Then they choked a huge lead to a second year quarterback. Stew on that KC. And you can probably apply the same to Eagles fans. The only differences? Lost a small lead, at home, were 10-6 and were coming off of two non-winning seasons – they finished 8-8 two seasons ago.

The Packers weaseled in at 8-7-1. They had Aaron Rogers back at quarterback and all was looking up in Green Bay. That is until Phil Dawson connected on a short field goal to dash hopes, crush dreams and cancel parade plans.

This past weekend the big four muscled up. The 49ers showed the fans in Carolina what championship football was all about. Seattle throttled the Saints for three-and-a-half quarters before allowing them a chance to tie it late. I have my reasons to dislike Drew Brees (lets just say its fantasy related) but for the record, I usually root against dome teams. What a shame for the Crescent City. In San Diego, they don’t really make Super Bowl plans, at least not since the game itself stopped making regular appearances there. As for the Chargers, Phillip Rivers was never a favorite when at NC State. His gyrations Sunday didn’t do anything to erase those feelings. As for Indy, no sympathy here. Domed team, our colors and logo. They may have their day again, and soon, but not this year.

So here we go into the final four, NFL style. I can’t root for Seattle. I find the whole “12th man” thing kind of a joke. I thought that was Texas A&M’s deal anyway. The fans look like idiots and the weather always is rotten. Not even cold or snow rotten. Just 40 degrees and crappy rotten. Their home record may be a by-product of it being such a dreary looking place. Denver and New England is a toss up to me. I kind of lean toward New England because Brady seems to do it without stars around him and was never the chosen one, being drafted in the sixth round out of Michigan. Manning was the first overall pick in 1998 by the Colts. I also like the fact the Manning has the same amount of rings as Joe Flacco!

But mostly, they are at home. And if there is one thing I enjoy watching it’s a stadium full of disgruntled fans emptying out late in the 4th quarter like the Pats forced in Pittsburgh a few years back. The Ravens had a habit of doing that over the years too. Tennessee and Oakland in 2000. Miami in ’01. Miami and Tennessee again in ’08. New England in ’09 and 2012. Kansas City in 2010. And Oh yeah, Denver too last year (caution one F-bomb but one of my favorite clips of all-time!). Unfortunately, we have witnessed this here in Baltimore a few times. I saw Oakland in 1977. And Tennessee and Indy in ’03 and ’06 respectively. It stinks. But if it’s not my team, it’s kind of funny.

In the end, I think I will pull for San Francisco the most. With them and either AFC team, a Super Bowl that features two teams the Ravens beat to win Super Bowl XLVII would be pretty neat to watch. Go Niners.

Following every Baltimore Ravens game this season, Ryan Chell and I will take to the airwaves Tuesdays on “The Reality Check” on AM1570 WNST.net with a segment known as “The Five Plays That Determined The Game.”

It’s a simple concept. We’ll select five plays from each game that determined the outcome. These five plays will best represent why the Ravens won or lost each game.

This will be our final analysis of the previous game before switching gears towards the next game on the schedule.

Here are the five plays that determined the Ravens’ 34-31 win over the San Francisco 49ers at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome Sunday in Super Bowl XLVII…

(on emphasizing the deep pass) “I think it’s just part of our offense. Our receivers have been making plays deep. You want to work on every throw on the field. You have to be accurate everywhere. Part of it is that your receivers have to be aggressive to the ball.”

(on the variety of the offense) “It’s going to depend on the gameplan. There are things that we ran at the beginning of the year that we are going to continue to run; there’s new things that come up. There is a lot in this offense.”

(on potentially joining the 49ers storied history) “It’s a great opportunity to get a win and to bring back the legacy to San Francisco that great teams and great quarterbacks have before.”

(on how close he was to playing baseball over football) “Basketball was my last option. That was something that if football and baseball didn’t work out I would have played basketball.”

(on playing against New Orleans Hornets forward Ryan Anderson in high school) “It was the first round of the playoffs. I think we lost by like 10 points to them. I think I scored 34 and he scored 50.”

(on dealing with the media) “I try to stay low-key. I do what I have to do with the media. Other than that, I am all football.

(on his comfort level with the media) “It’s not that I’m not comfortable with it. To me, I’m here to play football. That’s what I want to do.”

(on the offensive line) “They are willing to work every day. They are going to do everything it takes to make sure they are ready mentally and physically. They go out and perform on Sunday.”

(on LaMichael James) “He’s developed a lot. He has become a playmaker for us. He is someone we want to get the ball in his hands. He is fast. He’s quick, but he also runs with power for how little he is. There are a lot of things they have to defend.”

(on the receiving core) “Our receivers have done a phenomenal job this season, knowing their routes, knowing the combinations we have going for them, and then making plays. They come to work every day.”

(on the gameplan for the Super Bowl) “I think the coaches are going to do whatever we need to do to win. The coaches will call what they think the best play is and what they think will help us get into the end zone.”

(on running a ‘gimmick’ offense) “Any offense is an offense to try and put points on the board. You can call it a gimmick, you can call it a ‘trick-em’ offense, you can call it whatever you want. If it is putting points on the board it is effective.”

(on his charitable donations) “Camp Taylor is a foundation that I’m connected with right now and anything I can do to help them and help those kids is something I’m going to do.”

(on Frank Gore) “He’s a great player. He’s a great leader. He’s a workhorse. He’s going to do whatever it takes to win and we need Frank Gore to be Frank. That will be good enough on Sunday. I think you can put Frank in any offense and he will be successful. He’s the type of running back that can adapt. He can do anything we need him to do. I think that’s why he has been doing so well.”

(on having patience when running) “I think it’s very important. You can see Frank waiting for a hole to open, waiting for a crease or a seam. Once he finds one, he’s going to hit it.”

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Super Bowl XLVII – Thursday, January 31, 2013

MORE QUOTES FROM SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS MEDIA SESSION

QUARTERBACK COLIN KAEPERNICK

(on the experience of playing against the Bears on Monday Night Football) “Getting my first start, getting a win, being successful in that game – it helped me moving forward from there.”

(on being drafted by the Chicago Cubs) “They drafted me after my third year in college, based on what I did in high school.”

(on playing with patience) “I think you need patience at every position. At some point you are going to have to be patient and wait to make your move. Whether it’s quarterback, receiver, linebacker, DB (defensive back), it doesn’t matter.”

(on being the potential Super Bowl MVP) “My only focus is on the game plan and trying to win. I haven’t thought of any possibilities or any scenarios other than just going out and playing.”

(on the expectations of the 49ers) “There are great expectations in this franchise. We have had great quarterbacks and great Super Bowl teams. We want to be a part of that.”

(on working with Alex Smith during last season’s lockout) “It just helped me get more comfortable with the offense, rather than going in to training camp and trying to learn it. He (Smith) helped a lot, going over the different routes, different combinations, things like that.”

(on transitioning from college to the NFL) “Ultimately it’s just going out and playing football. The biggest difference is the playbook and terminology. Everybody is faster, everybody is stronger so it equals out.”

(on joining former 49ers quarterbacks Joe Montana and Steve Young as Super Bowl champion 49ers quarterbacks) “It would be a great honor. They played well for so long and have such great regard with their names, and people speak so highly of them, to be mentioned in the same breath would be an honor.”

(on if Alex Smith could take back the starting job) “That’s not something I think about. I’m just worried about going out and trying to win this game.”

(on Randy Moss) “Randy has been great. I have nothing but great things to say about him. He’s one of the true leaders on this team and he really brings this team together.”

(on his high school football team) “We had a good team. We had a good offense. We put up points.”

(on his athleticism leading to success) “I think a lot of the success I have had has come more from the hard work than just pure talent.”

(on the unpredictability of football) “You’re just going to work hard and see what happens. You’re not really thinking what if this happens, what if that happens.”

(on high school all-star games) “I didn’t get to play in any. I went straight up to Nevada and started training. I went up to Nevada as soon as my high school year was over and started working out with them.”

(on having to choose between football and baseball) “If I got a football scholarship, I was going to be a football player.”

(on being compared to Cam Newton) “We can both run and throw. That’s the similarity. For me, I want to be my own man, I want to be my own player.”

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Super Bowl XLVII – Thursday, January 31, 2013

MORE QUOTES FROM SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS MEDIA SESSION

QUARTERBACK COLIN KAEPERNICK

(on his development as a passer) “Geep (Chryst) has been great. He is always in our ear, talking, making sure we know every situation that might come up. He’s previewing situations during the game, he has been phenomenal. It’s a constant conversation. It’s constant work, trying to game plan trying to make sure we have every detail ironed out.”

(on his being passed in the draft) “Any time someone says someone else is better than you it is going to motivate you.”

(on advice for Chris Culliver) “I’m not here to give advice. That’s not my job. I’m here to play football. That’s what we have a PR department for.”

(on the offensive gameplan for Sunday) “I think they (the coaches) are going to call plays that they think are going to be successful. Anything that is going to move the ball they are going to try and call.”

(on the changes from the regular season through the playoffs) “Things haven’t changed that much except that more people want to talk to me now.”

(on the preparation for the Super Bowl) “I think our team is ready for this. Our team has won in these situations; our team has won games, so we are going to do whatever we can to make sure we are ready for this week.”

(on how it will feel to be back out at practice today) “It will be good to get back out there. That’s where we need to be in order to get ready for Sunday.”

(on how much head coach Jim Harbaugh has helped him since he is a former quarterback) “He’s been a great coach. He’s done a lot for me – making sure that this team is going, this offense is going, and making sure all of the quarterbacks are ready.”

(on what he has done to better himself since getting into the NFL) “I think there is a lot of experience under my belt now. [I’ve had] a lot more time in the offense and on the game field. I think that’s the biggest difference between now and then.”

(on the development of WR Michael Crabtree and Kaepernick’s relationship with him) “Crab is a great player. He does a lot of things well and he’s a very physical receiver. He wants to get in the end zone every time he touches the ball. As a quarterback, that’s something you love.”

(on whether the coaches and receivers have talked to him about when to throw his ‘fast ball’) “In practice, they do. Come game time though, nobody says anything. Any way that we can get the ball in their hands, they’re going to be happy.”

(on distributing his allotment tickets) “I have all of my 15 tickets and I gave them all to my parents to distribute to the rest of the family. That’s not my business.”

(on how the 49ers offensive line makes his job easier) “They have been doing a phenomenal job blocking people. In pass protection, I’ve barely been touched. In the run game, they’re opening up huge holes for our running backs. They open up the edges for me when I’ve been running. As an offensive line, they’ve been playing lights out.”

(on the transition from not playing to becoming the starting quarterback of a Super Bowl team) “It was tough watching this team do well and not being able to contribute. For me, what kept me going was the fact that I might get an opportunity to get out there. When I did, I need to take advantage of it. I think that is the biggest thing.”

(on whether his relationship with QB Alex Smith has gone as well as it could) “I think it has gone about as well as it could. Alex has been phenomenal and he’s done nothing but things to help this team. He’s done nothing but help me. I mean he’s been great through it. To me, I’ve just been keeping my head down and trying to keep working.”

(on how crazy the week has been for him) “It’s a little bit weird for me. It’s not necessarily crazy, but it’s something different.”

(on his experience being recruited to go to college out of Pittman High School) “My recruitment was very minimal. I had one scholarship offer and that came one week before National Signing Day. To me, it’s something where you just have to hope for an opportunity and do anything you can to get one coach to like you.”

(on the challenge of losing WR Mario Manningham and LB Kyle Williams to injury) “It has been tough. I think (RB) Kendall Hunter has been another play that we’ve lost and he was a big contributor to our offense. I think all three of them played major roles and were tough losses. This offense and this team has to adapt to it.”

(on what pushed him to pursue a football career over baseball) “I was a better baseball player in high school and a lot more heavily recruited. To me, football is what I love and it’s what I wanted to do.”

(on how important it is to have an additional week to get ready for an opponent) “It gives us another week to really scheme up their defense – get extra looks at what they’re doing. We’re really trying to detail them out. Any extra time you can get looking at something, the more comfortable you’re going to be with it, and hopefully, the more prepared you are.”

(on working at the Manning Passing Academy and his connection with TE Vernon Davis last week) “I was at the Manning Passing Academy. It was a great experience. I got to meet Peyton and Eli, and get some tips and pointers from them. In terms of Vernon coming alive last week, he’s a matchup nightmare. When he’s against a linebacker or safety, we expect him to win every time. He is really gifted out there.”

(on relationship with Ray Lewis) “Ever since I’ve been here, the communication level has been great. Now, we don’t really need to say much to each other (on the field). We know where each other is going to be on the field, and we know what we need to get done. It comes with experience with each other and a lot of playing together. It’ll be totally different without him here next year.”

(on comfort level of having Ray Lewis playing behind him) “It’s huge. His leadership definitely changes the game and changes the way you play. It’s just great to play with someone like that. When he retires, it won’t just be weird for our defense but for our whole team. He does a lot of things to help us. He’s a great leader. It’s definitely going to be different next year.”

(on what it’s like being in New Orleans) “I haven’t really had a chance yet to check the place out. I’ll walk around today, look around and check out some of the sights. It’ll be pretty cool. I’m excited to walk around here.”

(on what kind of defensive problems that 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick presents) “You kind of think of him as an RG III (Washington’s Robert Griffin III) type of player. He can run the ball and he can pass it as well. We’ve definitely got to do a good job of trying to contain him. We need to get pressure on him. It’s going to be a great task for our defense but we’re definitely up for it. He can hurt you in so many ways passing and running the ball. When we rush him on passing downs, we can’t just rush up the field because then he can find a lane and run. With him, you’ve just got to be careful with a lot of the things that you do.”

(on strength of Ravens’ defense) “I think it’s definitely our coverage. Our coverage has done a great job doing what they need to do, and it’s definitely helped us out as a defense.”

(on if he considers 49ers offense to be unorthodox) “No, they just really have a multiple offense with a power running game and they also have the option pass. We kind of think about it as like the Redskins game. Of course, the 49ers’ running backs are different and they have different type of athletes at wide receiver. We definitely have to just play our style of ball and not try to do too much.”

(on his hit on Robert Griffin III in game against Washington) “I didn’t think I even hit him that hard. His body just kind of fell underneath me. Again, I didn’t think I hit him that hard, but when you see the replay, you can see that his leg kind of whipped around. It kind of blew my mind that he actually got up and started limping off the field. For him to actually come back in the game and play was unbelievable.”

(on having all members of Ravens defense healthy again) “We hadn’t really played much together all season, but now that we’re all healthy with me and Ray (Lewis) and Terrell (Suggs), and we’ve been playing together through the playoffs, it’s been great.”

(on if he think this is going to be the Ravens’ year) “I think that three-game losing streak we were on made us think about what we really wanted to do. We just had to turn it around from there and I think we were able to get back on track. I don’t think we ever gave up, and we didn’t lose sight of what we wanted to accomplish.”

(on the qualities of a good NFL defensive tackle) “Strength and quickness definitely helps, especially being in the middle when there’s so much going on.”

(on how he and his teammates are responding to being at the Super Bowl) “A lot of us are taking pictures and trying to record the moment of us flying here. When our plane touched down, I think a lot of us realized we were here to do a lot of work and also to have some fun.”

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Super Bowl XLVII – Sunday, January 27, 2013

QUOTES FROM BALTIMORE RAVENS MEDIA SESSION

MORE DEFENSIVE TACKLE HALOTI NGATA

(on the most “high maintenance” member of Ravens) “I don’t know about high maintenance but (Bernard) Pollard is kind of an OCD type of guy. He gets worried and kind of freaks out. You’ve got to make sure that you’re doing the right things or he’ll freak out on you.”

(on the toughest guy on the Ravens) “You’re probably looking at him (laughs). There’s a lot of guys on our team who are really quiet so you have to be careful around them.”

(on Coach John Harbaugh) “Coach Harbaugh has done so many things for this team by the way he wanted this team to be and the way he wanted to run it. The first year or two, we definitely had some disagreements with him, but he definitely listened to some things that the players wanted. He was able to put his feelings down and let some things happen. This year has been totally where we’ve been able to communicate with Coach, and Coach has been able to communicate with the players. He’s done a phenomenal job this whole year of communicating with us, and I think that’s been the biggest change.”

(on Coach Harbaugh competing against his brother in the Super Bowl) “We’ve played against them (49ers) before but I definitely think it is kind of weird and different (to compete against your brother). But you’ve got to be proud of both guys for what they have accomplished. “

(on the food on New Orleans) “I’m looking forward to it. The Cajun food, the gumbo and all of that. It’ll be pretty cool to try some of the food around here.”

(on his faith) “It’s played a huge role. My faith is something that I lean on every day just to make sure I’m doing the right thing.”

(on whether he reads different Bible verses before every game) “I always pray before every game, just thanking the Lord that he woke me up this morning and gave me this opportunity to step on the field.”

(on Coach Harbaugh) “He’s been great. He led his team to the Super Bowl. You can’t say enough about him.”

(on if he were facing his brother in the Super Bowl) “I would play to win.”

(on whether he would use any trickery to beat his brother) “No, I would blow him out.”

(on the Ravens game plan to stop the 49ers offense) “Coordinators are always going to figure out different ways to stop different offenses, It’s just another offense that they are going to try and stop.”

(on whether he will stay in the pocket more against the Ravens to avoid injury) “If I was worried about my health I wouldn’t be playing football.”

(on what makes the read-option so effective) “It makes it 11-on-11 football. You’re actually blocking the defender by reading him.”

(on how his faith helps him stay calm during games) “He is always someone I lean on. My faith is something that always keeps my feet on the ground and makes me level-headed.”

(on what is necessary for a quarterback to be effective in a read-option) “You need to be able to run and you need to be able to read the defense.”

(on how he sees the recent health issues of former players affecting the future of the game) “I’m not sure. That’s really not for me to have a perspective on. I’m just playing today.”

(on how his ability to run affects the passing game) “It freezes them a little bit. It gives you a little bit more time. If it’s just a split second, that’s an advantage for the offense.”

(on his first NFL start) “It’s always great to get a win, especially in your first start. It was a big stage and that always helps.”

(on how he dealt with his first NFL start) “I was very confident.”

(on whether he has any new tattoos) “No, I haven’t gotten any new ones. The first one I got was Psalm 18:39, a scroll on my right shoulder.”

(on Psalm 18:39) “The verse says, ‘You arm me with strength for battle. You make my adversaries bow at my feet.’ Basically it’s saying that the Lord has given me all the tools to be successful, I just have to go out there and do my part to uphold that.”

(on whether he will get any new tattoos) “I have some in the works.”

(on the opportunity for an increase in non-traditional quarterbacks) “It just opens the door for athletic quarterbacks to come in and try to make plays.”

(on how he stays so calm) “For me, it’s just staying focused on what we’re trying to get done. It’s great to have all these cameras and people here, but we’re here to win a game.”

(on whether he thought he would ever play in a Super Bowl) “I dreamed about it.”

(on Alex Smith) “Alex (Smith) has been great. He has done everything he can to help me and help this team. To have a veteran quarterback like that on your side, making sure you’re seeing the field well, is always great.”

(on the success of the team) “I don’t think it comes easily, but it’s been a lot of hard work, by a lot of my teammates and coaches. Everything has been going well for us.”

(on whether he feels pressure playing in the Super Bowl for the first time) “Just because you’re in a situation you haven’t been in before doesn’t mean you have to feel pressure from it.”

(on how the read-option now differs from when he ran it in college) “We ran it exclusively in college and here, it’s just bits and pieces of our offense.”

(on the Ravens defense) “They’re very physical. They’re a veteran group and have a lot of experience. They do a lot of great things on that side of the ball.”

(on some players that have inspired him) “Growing up, Reggie White was someone I always watched, being a Packers fan. Just the way he played the game and handled himself. He was phenomenal.”

(on how he is handling his new popularity) “Three months ago I could go anywhere, now it’s a little bit harder.”

(on the team’s preparation for the Super Bowl) “Our team is very confident. We put in a lot of hard work. We want to make sure we’re ready for it.”

(on whether he is a fan of Ray Lewis) “(I’m a) big fan of Ray Lewis. The intensity he plays the game with and the passion he passion he plays with, I think it’s something every football player likes.”

(on Head Coach Jim Harbaugh) “Coach Harbaugh is a great guy. He has done a great job with this team and hopefully we can get this win for him.”

(on the effect reading his bible has on him) “It helps me every day.”

(on who God is rooting for) “I think God watches over everybody. I don’t think he’s cheering for one team or another. I think he’s helping everybody, just trying to keep everybody safe. He has a plan for everyone.”

(on the Ravens defensive line) “They are very physical, very big and take up a lot of space.”

(on if playing in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome earlier this year was beneficial in getting ready for the Super Bowl) “It is always good to be familiar with where you are playing. How beneficial is Sunday? It’s just being familiar with it, but you still have to go out and play.”

(on how playoff pressure is different from regular-season pressure) “I’ve said this before. Pressure, I feel like, comes from lack of preparation. This isn’t going to be a pressure situation, it is going to be a matter of going out there and performing physically.”

(on his routine during Super Bowl week) “The same routine we had when we were back in San Francisco.”

(on the difference of regular-season flights and this one to Super Bowl) “Just a bigger plane.”

(on the best advice Randy Moss has given him during the season) “Just go out and play like yourself. Randy has been in my ear about going out and playing like myself and making sure I am relaxed out there.”

(on if the possibility that the Super Bowl might be Moss’ last game is being overlooked) “Yeah. Randy is going to be a Hall-of-Fame player, and he is someone who deserves a Super Bowl ring. We want to send him out the right way.”

(on if the 49ers were told to ‘take it all in’ during their previous trip to New Orleans) “No one said anything about that. We were focused on that time at that moment.”

(on 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh facing his brother, John, in the Super Bowl) “That is a great thing for their family. I think it’s the first time in history, so that is something special for them.”

(on if he imagined himself starting at the Super Bowl at the start of the season) “At the start of the season, I was just hoping to get on the field some way, somehow.”

(on his progression to the starting job at quarterback) “When I first started starting, I was just trying to do well and make sure we were winning games. Things have gone right while we have been playing. We’re here.”

(on maintaining positive attitude when he was not playing) “That is just being focused on what you are trying to achieve. My dad was always in my ear, saying ‘Stay focused, and keep working hard.’ That is what I try to do.”

(on his relationship with Alex Smith before and after he became a starter) “It is the same. We are both trying to help this team get better and be the best team we can be. Anything we can do to make this team better, and help us win this game, we are going to do.”

(on when Jim Harbaugh and GM Trent Baalke came to see him at Nevada, and the throwing contest between him and Harbaugh) “We had a few competitions, different drills and different accuracy things. Just head up and see who could compete and win. We had different goal-post throws, who could throw a better spiral, things like that. I let him win the first one, and I won the rest.”

(on how beneficial it is to have a head coach who was a NFL quarterback) “It is very beneficial. He knows what you are looking at, and he knows what you are going through. It makes it easier for him to relate.”

(on how he would describe the locker room right now) “It is really like a family. We are around each other more than we are around anybody else. The time we spend together, and the hard work we put in together, it is going to build a close team.”

(on what his greatest Super Bowl memory as a fan was) “I don’t know. I can’t pick one out. I just remember growing up watching the Super Bowl and being a big fan of it.”

(on who was his favorite quarterback) “I was always a (Brett) Favre fan. I was born in Wisconsin, and my whole family was Packers fans, so I grew up watching him.”

(on his preparation for the Super Bowl) “It is just head-down, keep working. This isn’t a time to relax and get out of your routine or stop working hard. This is when you should be working your hardest.”

(on how much he sees of himself in head coach Jim Harbaugh) “I think both of us are very competitive. We want to do whatever it takes to win, so that is where the emotion and the excitement comes from.”

(on if too much is made of the quarterback play in the pistol and read-option) “I think people have put too much focus on me. I don’t think they realize the other weapons we have on this team. I don’t think they realize the great offensive line that we have. There are a lot of other parts on this team that do great things to make it easy for me to go out there.”

(on what he remembers about Ray Lewis as a player and person) “I have never met him, but his intensity that he brings to the game and the passion that he plays with is very admirable.”

(on why he liked Brett Favre growing up) “The passion he played with. He went out there and played like a kid. He was never afraid to take a chance making a throw. He was going to lay it on the line.”

(on risk-taking as a quarterback like Favre did) “I think it is being smart and taking calculated risks. You don’t want to just be throwing balls up, but there are also times where you have to take chances.”

(on what his biggest adjustment was during his rookie season) “The biggest thing in my rookie year was the terminology of the playbook was completely different from what I was used to. Just picking up on that was the biggest task.”

(on what his biggest memory of the 49ers was as a fan) “My biggest memory of the 49ers was when they beat the Packers in the playoffs (in 1999) with T.O. (Terrell Owens) down the middle.”

(on if there was a question if he was going to be the primary backup at the start of the season) “Yes, there was.”

(on what the competition was in training camp for the backup role) “It was hard work, and it was a competition. I was trying to do everything I could to prove that I needed to be at least No. 2, and that I could go out and play.”

(on if he thought that the college offense would work in the NFL) “I thought it would work to some extent. I didn’t think it was something you could run every play. There are too many good athletes on defense at this level. Not so much the speed, just the fact that everybody is good on defense. There are not really too many people you can just pick on in the NFL like there is in college.”

(on the benefits of having Colin Kaepernick making his first road start in the Superdome) “What are the benefits? He’s played in this stadium, just as all our team has. I don’t know how much of an advantage that is. I can’t really put an advantage quota on it.”

(on if he tried to keep the routine normal this week before coming to New Orleans) “Not to go into the plan of what we’re trying to do and what we’re trying to accomplish, we got a good idea. It’s what we’ve done and it’s been successful so far. Our team has been really focused on winning, focused on the unity of the team. I think it’s really genuine. I think it’s the best focus on unity and winning that I’ve ever seen or been a part of. This week, we tried to make it like a normal week, being here on Sunday, in the city starting Monday like it’s a week leading up to a Sunday game is our plan.”

(on playing for Coach George Seifert and what he learned) “Quite a bit. It was a real pleasure to work with George Seifert, to get a chance to know him. I didn’t get on the field that year. One of the great things was being able to meet Greg Roman, who was an assistant offensive line coach at the time. I was just so impressed with his knowledge of football and the kind of guy he was. We struck up a very good friendship within the first couple weeks I was there. I made friends right off the bat. Later, getting a chance to work with him was a real great thing for us.”

(on if he has spoken to any other Super Bowl coaches to get any insight on how to prepare for Super Bowl week and what the special challenges are being a first time Super Bowl coach) “No real in depth types of things. I had a short conversation with Bill Cowher when he was out interviewing some of our players. I was on a radio show the other day and John Madden was on as well—a couple short comments as well. (The challenge is) that you haven’t done it before. Its uncharted waters for a rookie Super Bowl coach, but that’s exciting too. We have a great thrill and great desire to be in uncharted waters. Our coaches and our players have always relished that and strived in that type of environment.”

(on coaching a franchise that has never lost a Super Bowl and his plans for working with the team this week) “There is a great 49er history with our team and we’re proud of that. As far as working during the week, meetings, practices and that will be our focus each day. There will be weight lifting involved tomorrow and meetings and practices.”

(on Bill Walsh dressing up as a bell man before his first Super Bowl and if he sees any need to add some levity for his players and if they need anything to ease the pressure) “Dashon Goldson had a quote on our quote board about two and a half weeks ago that ‘We get fresher under pressure.’ That bodes well for us.”

(on what he recalls about the 49ers and their dominance in the 80s) “What I remember, I played against some of those teams. As you described, dominant. The organization has a tremendous history and we’re very proud of it. This is new business and our team is focused on winning a championship.”

(on how much of himself does he see in Colin Kaepernick in terms of his attitude and passion for the game) “I shared this with some of our beat writers a week and a half ago, but it’s true. It’s a true story. When Colin is running and the stride that he has, the gracefulness with his stride, the ground that he covers, how fast and quick he is reminds me of myself. Then I wake up. But when I dream and have visions of how I run personally, it’s the way Colin runs.”

(on how important Trent Baalke has been to the makeup of the team) “Very important. A key integral member. It’s a team effort. We’ve always said that. Everyone does a little and it adds up to be a lot. That’s been our approach.”

(on if he has been to a Super Bowl before and if so, what was his experience like) “Yes, I have attended Super Bowls in the past. For example, the Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers two years ago. I was at this Super Bowl in New Orleans when San Francisco played Denver and there might have been one other one along the way. There might have been a couple other ones.”

(on him being a gutsy quarterback when he played in the NFL) “Can you spread the word on that a little? Can you get that out? Try not to keep that to yourself. I appreciate it.”

(on whether he ever second-guessed himself after replacing Alex Smith with Colin Kaepernick) “Alex had played a lot more than two good games. He had played 26, 28 really good games. I thought it was a unique situation. Viewed it that way when it happened. My experience had always been that when it comes to playing the best quarterback, or playing the quarterback with the hot hand, it was choosing between two guys that were struggling, at least in my own personal experience. That was far from the case that we were looking at at the time. Two quarterbacks that were playing extremely well. Made the decision that we thought was best for our team.”

(on whether he will allow Colin Kaepernick to make his own reads or if he will develop specific plays for him and the running game) “First of all, I wouldn’t categorize Colin as a read-option quarterback, for starters. Then, to answer your question, all of those things would be possibilities. We’d love for our opponent to consider them all. Colin is extremely talented at the read-option, he’s extremely talented throwing the football as well. There are a lot of options we could go.”

(on whether he considers this week as a distraction to the players) “I think it’s a good thing that we’ve done this, really the last two years. We’ve stayed in a hotel, had our meetings in a hotel and then go to a facility to practice and get ready for the game. Same approach as always, really. Enjoy the moment, enjoy the preparation. I think that’s what our team enjoys the most, the practice, the meetings and especially the competition. Gearing up for the competitive nature of a football game, a championship game. Very excited about it.”

(on what led him to decide to stick with most of the players that were there when he was named head coach) “Just watching the tape. One conversation at a time with the players, getting to know them. We realized that we had a lot of character and we had a lot of talent.”

(on whether he had talked to his brother about one day meeting in the Super Bowl) “No, not as kids. At Gettysburg, our conversations about facing each other were the November 25th game that we knew was on the schedule, the Thanksgiving game.”

(on how much credit he gives Colin Kaepernick for being the difference maker) “It’s been a team effort. Feel like there’s a lot of people that have a lot of fingerprints on this team’s success. Like I said, the team has been focused on the unity of the team and on winning better than any team I’ve ever seen or been around. Really credit that to the men in the locker room. They enjoy each other’s company. They like being around each other and they like competing. They hold themselves to a high standard in terms of that. Colin’s play has been outstanding. He deserves tremendous amount of credit for that. He, like the rest of the guys on the team, are focused on the opportunity to play and win a championship.”

(on whether he scheduled all the way up to the Super Bowl when planning in the offseason) “You definitely have a plan. You also have a feel, as well. Really, both of those things were at work.”

(on what Patrick Willis has meant to the team) “So much, Patrick Willis means to our team. He’s part of the fabric of the character of the defense and of the team. Very humble person. There are two kinds of people: the people that get the job done, and the people that want to take credit for getting the job done. It’s far less competitive in the second case. Patrick Willis is certainly a get-the-job-done type of guy. That just influences, and the rest of the team feed off of that.”

(on why he decided not to play it safe and start Colin Kaepernick) “I described it in my own personality, we did what we thought was best for the team. We did what we thought would give us the best chance to win games. That’s my personality.”

Courtesy of Bovada, (www.Bovada.lv, Twitter: @BovadaLV). The big list of props will be sent out on Thursday.

Super Bowl XLVII Odds

Baltimore Ravens +4

San Francisco 49ers -4

“Looking back at this NFL season, it has been very strange for the book. We might have had our best start to an NFL season ever and then Week 9 was the worst NFL week for us that I have ever seen, so Baltimore winning twice as double digit underdogs against Manning and Brady does not surprise me. However, Baltimore cost us on the weekend and are the only big loser for the book on our Super Bowl odds. Despite the bettors being enamored with Kaepernick over his last five starts, the Ravens covering all three playoff games easily has 60% of the bettors siding with Baltimore early on in the week.”

As always, this week’s 15-7-0 is brought to you by Roofing By Elite. Visit them at roofingbyelite.com. We make 15 observations about football that are ELITE, 7 that are “not so ELITE” and one “zero” who deserves to sleep on the roof from outside of football.

(As a reminder, we don’t do Baltimore Ravens game analysis here. We do PLENTY of that elsewhere. This is about the rest of the world of football.)